Baby Girl (2026) Movie: Nivin Pauly’s Hospital Thriller Keeps You on Edge

The year 2026 starts with Baby Girl, a Malayalam thriller featuring Nivin Pauly in a completely different avatar. Directed by Arun Varma and penned by the legendary duo Bobby-Sanjay, this film releases today, January 23. The cast includes Lijomol Jose, Sangeeth Prathap, and Abhimanyu Thilakan in key roles.

Following his massive hit Sarvam Maya that earned over ₹140 crore, Nivin returns with another intriguing project. This time, he plays a simple hospital worker caught in a nightmare. The technical team includes Faiz Siddik handling camera work, Shyjith Kumaran on editing, and Sam CS composing music. Running for 2 hours 32 minutes with a U certificate, the film targets all age groups.

A Day That Changes Everything

The film centers on Sanal Mathew, who works at Good Shepherd Hospital as an attendant. His normal shift turns chaotic when a newborn disappears from the maternity ward. Within hours, Sanal finds himself as the primary suspect, forcing him to run while trying to clear his name.

What caught my attention is how the entire story plays out in just 24 hours. This creates constant pressure as Sanal fights against both the clock and the system. The writers, known for their work on Traffic and Mumbai Police, bring their signature realistic touch to this setup. There’s an authenticity to how events unfold that makes you feel the panic.

The Actors Bring Their Best

Nivin Pauly sheds his usual charming persona to play a working-class man facing his worst nightmare. Watching him in that hospital uniform, you see genuine fear rather than heroic posturing. He’s not trying to be larger than life here, which makes his struggle more affecting. After seeing him in romantic roles for years, this feels like a proper challenge he’s embraced fully.

Lijomol Jose continues her streak of picking meaningful roles. Her work in Jai Bhim showed she can convey pain without saying much. Here, she’s connected to the central mystery in ways that gradually reveal themselves. Her presence adds a human dimension to what could’ve been just a chase story.

Sangeeth Prathap surprised everyone with his comic timing in Premalu. Seeing him in a serious avatar here shows range. He’s part of a young couple dealing with their own crisis, and his restrained acting works well. It’s refreshing when actors break their typecast successfully.

Abhimanyu Thilakan plays the cop chasing Sanal, and there’s a relentlessness to his pursuit that keeps things tense. The dynamic between hunter and hunted drives much of the film’s momentum. His recent work in Marco proved he can handle intense roles, and that intensity serves him well here.

Behind the Camera

Arun Varma had a solid debut with Garudan, and here he shows he can handle confined spaces without making them boring. Keeping a thriller engaging when you’re mostly in one location requires skill. I noticed how he uses the hospital’s different sections to create variety while maintaining that claustrophobic feel.

The real-time approach demands that every scene pushes the story forward. There’s no room for filler when you’re working within such a tight timeframe. Varma seems to understand this, keeping things moving without feeling rushed.

Faiz Siddik turns hospital hallways into spaces of dread. His camera work finds menace in ordinary corners and shadows in fluorescent lighting. For a place associated with healing, he makes it feel uncertain and dangerous. That visual transformation is crucial to the film’s atmosphere.

Shyjith Kumaran keeps the cuts tight, never letting scenes outstay their welcome. For a film over two and a half hours, that’s vital. The pacing feels deliberate rather than dragging, though some might find the length challenging.

Sam CS provides a background score that amplifies tension without drowning out the story. His music knows when to push and when to pull back. The emotional moments get the support they need without becoming melodramatic.

The Strong Points

Bobby-Sanjay coming back after their 2023 film Innale Vare is the biggest draw for me. These writers redefined Malayalam cinema with Traffic years ago. They understand how to build suspense through character choices rather than just plot twists. Their strength lies in making you care about people before putting them in danger.

Choosing Nivin for such an unglamorous role shows courage from everyone involved. Stars often avoid parts that strip away their image, but this ordinariness makes Sanal’s predicament hit harder. When someone like us faces injustice, it feels more immediate than watching a superhero save the day.

The supporting players create a believable ecosystem around the main story. Actors like Aju Varghese, Azees Nedumangad, and Jaffer Idukki fill out the hospital staff convincingly. You get the sense of a functioning institution rather than just a backdrop.

Limiting the action to one day creates natural urgency. There’s no time for lengthy investigations or elaborate plans. Characters must make quick decisions, and those split-second choices drive the narrative forward.

Hospitals carry inherent drama because they’re places where life hangs in balance constantly. Using this setting for a thriller about a missing newborn adds layers of ethical questions. Who’s responsible? How does bureaucracy fail vulnerable lives? These questions linger even as the plot races forward.

Where It Could Stumble

The marketing felt quiet compared to Sarvam Maya’s campaign. Despite Nivin’s recent success, this film didn’t build the same pre-release energy. That might hurt opening day numbers, though strong content usually finds its audience eventually.

Releasing so soon after the holiday season presents challenges. People just watched Sarvam Maya, and some might not rush back for another Nivin film immediately. Though fans of thrillers might disagree.

Keeping viewers engaged in one location for 152 minutes takes exceptional writing. If the script has weak patches, that length becomes noticeable. The story needs enough twists and character moments to justify its runtime.

The basic premise—innocent person accused, must prove innocence—isn’t new. Countless thrillers have explored this territory. What matters is the fresh perspective Bobby-Sanjay bring and whether their execution rises above familiar patterns.

Mixing emotional scenes involving a baby with thriller mechanics requires careful balance. Lean too hard on sentiment and you lose suspense. Focus only on action and you miss the human cost. Walking that line successfully determines whether the film resonates beyond its genre.

Stars playing ordinary people can struggle with believability. Audiences know who Nivin Pauly is, and shedding that recognition to become Sanal Mathew completely is difficult. The film needs his performance to sell that transformation.

Final Take

Rating: 3.5/5

Baby Girl works as a tightly constructed thriller that respects your intelligence. Bobby-Sanjay’s writing provides a strong foundation, while Arun Varma shapes it into compelling cinema. Nivin Pauly commits fully to becoming someone far from his usual screen presence.

The choice to ground everything in everyday reality makes the stakes feel personal. You’re watching a regular person caught in circumstances spiraling beyond his control. That connection is what makes you lean forward in your seat rather than just passively watching events unfold.

Every technical department contributes to building atmosphere. Faiz Siddik’s camera finds tension in mundane spaces. Shyjith Kumaran’s editing maintains momentum. Sam CS’s music underscores without overwhelming. The coordination creates an immersive experience.

Getting a U certificate while maintaining thriller intensity shows skill. The film generates suspense through storytelling choices rather than relying on graphic imagery or harsh language. Families can watch together, which broadens its potential reach significantly.

This won’t change Malayalam cinema the way Traffic did, but that’s an unfair comparison. Baby Girl succeeds as solid entertainment that engages your mind and emotions. For those who appreciate realistic storytelling with strong performances, it delivers. The mystery unfolds satisfyingly, emotions land genuinely, and suspense builds effectively. It’s a worthy addition to 2026’s releases and deserves your time at the theater.